Perspective
by EmuFrost
Summary: Luke. To Phoebe, he's been the quaffle for years, and she's stuck as the Chaser. To Izzy, he's just another Slytherin prat. To Ana, he's only Lysander's best friend. To Mia, he's the cute Slytherin, her new boyfriend too. To Colin, he's the only hope for his dreams coming true. Luke is a mystery to the entire Hogwarts population. But who is he? It all comes down to perspective…
1. Hogwarts

**A.N. Hello there! :) Whalefairyfandom12 reporting with chapter one of Perspective. This a second generation FF written with zuzuzoo11, EmuFrost, HermioneJeanGranger-101 and ellw0721. Reviews are welcome and virtually painless. **

**Flames=LEO VALDEZ!**

**This chapter is dedicated to Dancer2323 and to ArabianDragon—luff chu both! :)**

Chapter One—Gotta Get Back to Hogwarts

_"__Back to witches and wizards and magical beasts, to goblins and ghosts and to magical beasts. It's all that I love and all that I need at Hogwarts, Hogwarts, I think I'm going back."_

Phoebe Allesandra Lupin was a fifteen year old.

Like most fifteen year olds, Phoebe was convinced that fifteen up were going to be some of the best years of her life.

She found herself looking forward to Hogwarts.

She was determined to excel.

She was convinced of her maturity.

She was determined to make a difference.

She was wearing dark red lipstick and a light brush of mascara and eyeliner.

She had decided that wearing pink with her red hair was a no.

And, like most fifteen year olds, Phoebe Lupin was convinced that she was in love.

Lukas Christopher Riddle, or, as he was known by his friends, Luke. The name was sweet in her thoughts, and sweeter to speak aloud. Grey eyes framed by curly black locks with high cheekbones and a sharp jawline.

The mere thought sent a tingle through her.

And Phoebe was going to see him.

Very soon.

She smiled dreamily at that thought, a romantic greeting, perhaps proceeded by a kiss? (romantic nothings would, of _course _be exchanged,) before jolting back to alertness.

The first boom of colour that greeted her eyes was grey.

Enormous smokestacks billowed from the tops of the brilliant engines that lined the station.

Phoebe followed her twin sister Izzy, older brother Teddy, and grandmother Andromeda down the station platform as more explosions of colour and noise echoed all around her.

"Be good," her grandmother warned Izzy, embracing her.

"Me?" Izzy quipped. "Phoebe's the one you need to worry about."

"You are too much."

Proceeding said statement, Phoebe found herself being tightly hugged by her grandmother.

She hugged her back, savouring the last couple of moments before she had to let go.

Andromeda stepped back from the train, waving a final goodbye before disapparating.

Phoebe dragged her suitcase alongside the train, her owl, Luna, hooting happily from her cage. The doors to the train lay dead ahead, and soon she found herself in the familiar corridors of the Hogwart's Express.

"See you later?" Teddy farewelled.

"Sure," Izzy smirked. Under her breath, she added, "—If you aren't too busy snogging Victorie."

The clock tolled 11:00 and the two sisters frantically bumbled onto the train.

"Bye," Izzy waved as the two sisters parted ways. "I can try to save you a seat—"

"It's okay," Phoebe assured her. "I'll sit with Luke and Scor."

She shivered internally. Luke. What a delicious, monosyllable word.

Izzy's noise wrinkled. "Luke and Scorpius? Phoebe…"

"Roxy and Lysander will be there too," Phoebe sighed in exasperation. Honestly. She didn't criticise Izzy's friends. Admittedly, most of them were family friends, but still. Sometimes she felt that if Roxanne Weasley and Lysander Scamander hadn't also been Slytherin's, Izzy would've marched up to Headmistress McGonagall and demanded that Phoebe be put in Gryffindor. Or fear her wrath.

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Whatever." See you at the feast," she added as she yanked open the nearest compartment door.

"Bye."

Phoebe shoved her trunk overhead and found a boy standing beside her.

"Miss me?"

Phoebe jolted back in surprise, hands immediately flying to her hair.

"Like a hole in the head," she replied.

Luke gave a crooked smile. "Likewise."

Phoebe smiled. "How was your summer?" She eyed him, taking in the sight and witnessing the raging battle of hormones going on inside her internally.

He seemed to have grown a lot since last year, and his shirt clung to his toned stomach, giving him a more sophisticated and insanely attractive look. Yep, she had missed him alright.

Although, to be fair, there was more to Luke than a pretty face. He was smart, determined, ready to stick up for his friends or whatever he believed in…

Lukas Christopher Riddle was many things.

Although one word Phoebe wouldn't exactly use to describe him would be _nice._

Luke rolled his eyes. "About as good as one could expect, _being stuck in bloody foster care all summer._ Some vacation. So, yeah," he continued sarcastically. "_Damn perfect._"

"Langue," Phoebe chided, but a smile took the bite out of her words.

"I'll say whatever I like," Luke snapped waspishly. "Stupid muggles."

"From the girl whose parents were half-bloods, can I just say, not cool?"

"Yeah, well, your parents are also _dead_."

"Touche."

"Nice hair," Luke smirked.

Phoebe patted it self-consciously. "I like it."

Courtesy of her now deceased mother, Nymphadora Tonks, Phoebe was blessed, (or cursed, she hadn't quite decided yet,) with the powers of a metamorphmagus.

Her natural hair colour was red, and her eyes couldn't seem to decide which colour they wanted to be, giving her a kaleidoscopic feel that, personally, Phoebe _hated. _

Currently, however, Phoebe's hair was streaked with silver and green dye—Slytherin colours.

"It could be Gryffindor," Luke acknowledged. "At least you're showing Slytherin pride. Why do you talk to those suck-ups anyway?"

"They're my family, Luke," Phoebe groaned. "We've already been through this. And perfectly nice people as well."

"They're jerks," he said bluntly.

"_Luke._"

"They are!"

There went the hopes of a romantic greeting, Phoebe thought forlornly. She buried the idea of a kiss even deeper in the recesses of her mind. No need to be disappointed.

Luke was always like this. Expect one thing, and you got the other. Quite honestly, she had been ridiculous for even hoping for anything more.

"Bright side though!" Luke smirked. "Mia's looking fine, if you know what I mean. She lives in the same orphanage as me, you know."

He pointed to a passing compartment, where a very pretty fourth year sat, talking with her friends. Dark, glossy, shining hair falling in perfectly formed waves, perfect pink lips, sparkling pools of allurement for eyes, and the right figure and perfect curves.

Mia Black, Phoebe thought with disdain. Admittedly, she had hair any girl would die for, and a model perfect figure and mouth, but _Mia Black…_

"Mia Black is a very nice girl," Phoebe said with as much dignity as she could muster.

Already, her mind was comparing her blemished skin with Mia's clear and her limp red hair with her luxurious locks. Seriously, though, how _did _Mia get her hair to dangle like that? Not just hang—it positively _dangled._

Luke gave her one of his lopsided smiles.

"Ah, shut up," he said, punching her teasingly. "I know how you feel about Mia. No need to fake enthusiasm."

"She is!" Phoebe insisted, but a look from Luke made her laugh.

"I'm not sold," Luke rolled his eyes, smiling.

"Mia is smart and nice and has lots of friends and—"

"—And's a stuck-up, golden girly girl?" Luke quipped.

Phoebe sighed, rolling her eyes. "I was going to leave that part out."

"Admit to this at least," Luke said as the duo resumed walking. "She's hot."

"I concede to that point."

"She's not as prissy as you think."

Phoebe slid open the final compartment door; the prefect meeting room. As she sat beside Luke, she couldn't help adding,

"What's this? Lukas Christopher Riddle standing up for a _Gryffindor?_"

Luke winkled his nose, making a face.

Phoebe returned the favour.

"She's _hot!_"

"She's an annoying baby."

"Fourteen is _not _a baby."

"Sticking up for a Gryffindor, are you, and against your best friend no less," Phoebe said with amusement.

She was enjoying this perhaps more than was correct.

That was one of her fatal flaws, she decided decisively. She enjoyed verbal sparring and a challenge a bit too much

"And to think that a couple minutes ago, you were putting down my family who are, oh, let's think, _Gryffindors_too!"

"That's different," Luke complained.

"Oh really? How is that any different?"

Luke sighed. "Need I reiterate this? _She's bloody attractive._"

Phoebe opened her mouth to retort, but the sliding doors chose that moment to flys open.

Heather, a Hufflepuff, and Nelson, a Slytherin, the head boy and girl, entered the compartment. Heather gently sat down in her chair. In contrast, Nelson slammed the door behind him and clomped over to his seat, throwing himself in it.

"Ello people," Nelson greeted the gathered prefects. "Let's get this over with, because I'm pretty sure we all have better things to do. I know I do."

Heather rolled her eyes. Normally, a Slytherin and a Hufflepuff wouldn't be a good combination, but as Nelson was as fatherly Slytherin as far as Slytherin's went, and Heather, being a Hufflepuff, had more patience for his antics than anyone else could've, the two seemed to make a fairly good team.

"Here's the patrol schedule," Heather said, gently tossing the slips of paper on the table before the assembled students. "Any problems with conflicting activities should be brought to my or Nelson's attention," she added quietly.

Everything Heather did seemed to be gentle, Phoebe reflected as she grabbed two of the outlines, handing one to Luke.

"We have patrol duty together," she informed Luke after a quick once over of the schedule.

With that sentence, her mind sped off again, imaging the two of them together basked in gentle torchlight, laughing. Unbidden, her half-formed thoughts of a kiss rose again, and she shivered in delight.

"That's it," Luke joked, throwing his hands in the air in surrender. "The world hates me."

"Now, can we review the rules—"

"Come on Heather," Nelson groaned. "The kids've been here five years. They know the rules. Can we go now?"

Heather sighed good-naturedly. "You're a pill." Then, to the other prefects, "—Meeting dismissed."

Nelson whooped and bounded out into the corridor, the door slamming shut behind him. Heather followed suit, and Phoebe followed, Luke hot on her heels.

"They are so stupid," Luke muttered.

Phoebe blinked in surprise. It was one thing for Luke to insult Heather, but to insult someone in his own house was something new.

"Why?"

"Nelson's dating Ellie."

Phoebe blinked, still confused. "So?"

"So? _So,_" Luke snarled. "Ellie lives in Spinner's End."

"Yeah?"

"She's a mudblood Phoebe!"

"Luke!" Phoebe glared.

"What? Heather's a Hufflepuff. Stupid. Almost as worthless as Gryffindors. As dumb as some of them, too."

"Shut up Luke."

"That James Potter?" Luke pressed. "Useless prick. Albus isn't much better. if James wasn't such a prat Albus might've not been as bad. At least he's a Slytherin. If Voldemort hadn't been killed by the _famous, the great, the almighty and powerful _Harry Potter, there might actually be some common sense at Hogwarts."

"I told you to shut up!"

"You know it's true," he argued.

Love and hate are funny things sometimes.

People often say that they're closer than most people consider them to be, and Phoebe was forced to conclude that that must be true.

Otherwise, how could two people, the half and pure-blood, be friends?

How could the half-blood love the pure-blood. but hate him, his morals, and his beliefs, at the same time?

Love and hate are funny things sometimes, but without them, life would be devoid of all colour.

The two had reached the compartment door. Through it, Phoebe could see the outlines of Scorpius Malfoy, Roxanne Weasley, Albus Potter, Lysander Scamander, and Rose Weasley.

Phoebe could vaguely hear her's and Luke's voices rising, but she chose to ignore it.

"Why do you act like this?" Phoebe crossed her arms, staring at her friend defiantly. "You know _I _like and care about James and Albus. Harry, too. Would it kill you to take the opinions of others into account sometimes? Hm?"

Luke stared at her for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. For a minute, she was glaring into his equally furious grey ones.

"You don't understand."

"Enlighten me."

"It's too complicated."

"Oh, so too complicated for a half-blood like me to understand, you mean?"

"That's not what I said!"

Throughout their battle of words, Phoebe somehow found herself inches away from Luke's face. She glowered into his equally venomous glare for a moment.

"This is the moment in books where they kiss," Phoebe said, regretting it the moment the words left her mouth.

Luke smiled slightly. "Even I'm not that cliche."

Another fairly awkward silence insured.

"Look, I'm sorry," Luke said. It looked to Phoebe as if he was having trouble pronouncing the words, which was probably true. Very rarely did Luke ever apologise. "You've already told me not to—"

"It's fine," Phoebe said awkwardly. "Just drop it."

The compartment door chose that time to slide open, perhaps unfortunate for the intruder, but rather more fortunate for the blushing Phoebe and Luke.

"Oh, sorry," Scorpius said, drawing up short. He smirked. "Are we interrupting something?"

Rose rolled her eyes, punching her friend lightly. "Oi! Stuff it Scor,"

Scorpius raised a coy eyebrow. "Make me."

"Hello to you too," Phoebe smiled. "Ready for school?"

Scorpius groaned. "Don't talk about it," he moaned. "I haven't had a chance to do any of the reading yet, and—"

Rose looked surprised. "But we've had the entire summer!"

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Not all of us are as in love with books as you, Rose. I'm sure all the reading was done the first week."

Rose flushed. "They were good books!"

Albus cleared his throat. "Sorry to intrude on your flirting," he said, directing his comment at both Phoebe and Luke, and Scorpius and Rose, "—But James was holding a compartment for us."

"Mia," Scorpius coughed suspiciously under his breath. "Anxious, are we?"

Albus glared.

Rose laughed, throwing an arm around her two friends. "Come on you two." To Phoebe, over her shoulder she called, "—See you later!"

"Bye Rose!" Phoebe smiled.

The trio tromped off merrily, leaving Phoebe and Luke standing, rather awkwardly.

"Shall we?" Luke asked fairly uncomfortably.

"After you," Phoebe said with the ghost of a smile playing at the corner of her lips.

"Why, ladies first," Luke said, acting aghast at the thought of anything less.

"Shut it you," Phoebe grumbled, punching his arm as she entered the compartment.

Lysander Scamander was a pale haired blond youth with dark brown eyes, possessing a prominent jawline with his Father's eyes and Mother's love for all things impossible. He was fairly handsome, Phoebe had to admit, although he wasn't her type.

Roxanne Weasley was the beauty of the group. With dark, cocoa coloured skin and black, crazed hair that somehow managed to look attractive, her figure rivalled that of Mia's, and her eyes were like dark pools of chocolate.

Phoebe threw herself on the seat beside Luke, surveying her friends.

Luke ran his fingers through his hair, leaving some parts of it sticking up, and sparking a _serious _hormone in Phoebe that made her want to run _her _fingers through his hair until it was even messier.

Get a grip, she administered firmly.

"Hey you lot," Roxy greeted. "Took you long enough."

"What's the scoop?" Lysander asked. "You look like you've got something to say."

"I'm going to ask Mia out," Luke announced at large.

Phoebe's chest seemed to contort. It was a familiar feeling—heartbreak, and one that had become her best friend. Heartbreak and Luke seemed to go hand and hand.

One would think she'd have been used to this after five years, but clearly _not._ Last year it had been Cassidy, Katherine, Jeanne, Francis and Hope. The year before it was an even longer string of girlfriends. One after the other, since first year, Luke had been having flings with so many girls that he had almost dated the entire school.

You couldn't get one without the other. Luke and heartbreak, heartbreak and Luke, but Phoebe knew it was worth it. _Luke _was worth it.

Roxy gave Phoebe a brief, pitying look, and Lysander gave her an, "I told you so," look.

"Do you think she'll say yes?" Lysander asked. "This is _Mia _we're talking about."

"Sure," Luke scoffed. "We snogged a couple of times this summer. All good."

Phoebe experienced a momentary lack of air.

"What was it like?" Lysander asked dreamily. "Kissing Mia Black. Were her lips soft? Did you use your tongue?"

Roxy snorted. "Perverts."

Luke ignored her. "It tasted like strawberries and sunshine and holding her hand just made the world seem like a brighter place, know what I mean? It was…magnetic." He glanced up, lost in a daze no doubt about Mia Black, Phoebe thought bitterly. "I reckon she's the one."

"What do you think Phoebe?"

It took Phoebe a second to realise that Luke had directed the question to her.

"Cool," she said lamely. "Awesome."

She gnashed her teeth together, trying to block out the sting. _Shut up shut up shut up._

Phoebe sat through the rest of the train ride in a daze.

The other's gave up in trying to engage her in a conversation, so when the train jolted to a stop, Phoebe was roughly halted out of her wanderings.

Phoebe waited by one of the carriages, and as Lysander and Roxy joined her, she questioned,

"Where's Luke?"

"Sucking up to Mia," Roxy said sympathetically.

As the threesome hauled themselves into a carriage, Lysander shook a mocking finger at Phoebe.

"I told you to move on. I _told you. _I said, Luke doesn't like you that way, and the more you stay, the more you'll get burned."

"Leave her alone Lysander!" Roxy scolded.

Phoebe stared dully at the ground. It wasn't a burn, though. Lysander was wrong in that respect. It wasn't a burn, it was more than that. It was a scorch. It was an inferno. It was the feeling of something being broken. In this case, her heart.

"How was your summer?" she asked, trying to break the ice.

She shelved the conundrum for the present. Letting something as stupid as Luke and Mia ruin her life made her an idiot. She was her own person. You're dating Mia, she thought with grim determination, well good for you.

"Fine," Lysander shrugged. "Mum and Dad and I went on a camping trip to find whalefairys."

Roxy seemed to struggle to keep a straight face. "Did you find any?"

Lysander shrugged. "There was this one time—"

"What did you do?" Roxy hurriedly asked Phoebe, preventing a long winded explanation of what. exactly, a whalefairy was."

"Spent a lot of time with the Potter's," Phoebe said offhandedly. "Not much, really, although, Gram, Teddy, Izzy and I went to Paris for a couple of months. It was fun, but we couldn't stay too long."

"I went to visit my Uncle Charlie with Rose and the rest of the gang," Roxy said. "To study dragons."

"Yeah, Albus told me," Phoebe said, recollecting. "Was it fun?"

"Well," Roxanne dragged out the word, elongating it. "There were some technical problems, and we almost didn't make it back in time for school, and—"

…

The fight had begun before most of the school knew what was happening.

"I saw you!" James yelled. "You killed him! You killed Arthur Grislton."

"Take that back!" Luke shouted. "I didn't kill anyone!"

"Stop it!" Phoebe shouted, but her pleas were lost in the din.

Like that rest of the mob, she could only watch in suspended terror.

"You're just like Voldemort!" James screamed. "Just as obsessed with blood purity. And what were you doing, eh? Making more horcruxes?"

"I told you to shut up!" Luke roared.

"Or what?" James taunted.

"Or by Merlin I'll make you!" Luke thundered, yanking out his wand. James followed suit.

The cry was deafening by now.

_"__Fight, fight, fight, fight!"_

"So this is it, Riddle, it it? A duel?"

Luke sneered. "Unless you're too scared."

James shook his head scornfully. "Never."

"Stop it! Both of you!" Phoebe cried helplessly.

James and Luke bowed sharply, neither taking their eyes off the other.

The two had just raised their wands when—

"Mr. Riddle! Mr. Potter! What is this?" Headmistress McGonagall's voice echoed. Phoebe released a tremendous sigh of relief. It was over. Everyone was safe now. It would all be okay.

Luke and James continued to glare with hatred at each other, however.

"He called me a murderer!" Luke shouted.

"He called me a liar!" James yelled.

"Expelliarmus!" McGonagall said sharply. The two wands flew from the boy's hands and into hers.

"Now!" she addressed the assembled group, bristling with anger. "The feast will begin in a couple of minutes. I don't know how it started—"

She raised a hand as Luke and James opened their mouths. "—And I don't care how. But you will resolve this petty quarrel immediately and proceed into the Great Hall like civilised human beings. I trust that is within your power."

"Am I clear?" she thundered as Luke and James continued to glare mutinously.

"Yes," they mumbled.

To Phoebe, it was clear that it was _far _from over, and she knew that McGonagall knew that too.

However, McGonagall didn't seem to have much choice but to let them in.

"Now then," McGonagall said, regaining her composure. "Let the feast begin."

…


	2. Magic

**Hello! Tis EmuFrost bringing you the second chapter! Don't have much to say... so enjoy! -EmuFrost**

Chapter 2- Magic

_Wanna fall, I fall so far, I wanna fall, I fall so hard, And I call it magic, And I call it true, I call it magic._

Izzy was greeted into the Great Hall by a pleasant sensation she would never forget. Rows and rows of golden plates stacked past their limit with every food imaginable, and what was that smell? Chocolate. She hated to admit it, but the food at Hogwarts beat Gram's without a question. Izzy found her place near the end of the Gryffindor table between James and Mia Black. As usual they were arguing.

"James, honestly, we're not even 5 minutes into the first term and you already started a fight!" Mia said.

"He would've won too," Izzy grinned and put her arm around James. Their relationship had always been nothing but friendly. Mia had always said that they were meant to be together. Izzy had always laughed and wondered what it would be like to love James. She couldn't imagine the idea of getting together and then breaking up with him. Breaking up, and never talking to him again. Izzy had never explained to Mia why she couldn't love James, there was no way Mia would ever understand.

"The nerve of you two," Mia sighed and turned towards the front of the room where Headmaster, Professor McGonagall had cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.

"Welcome back to another promising year at Hogwarts! Before I make any announcements, we have some sorting to get through!" she said and looked at the trembling group of 1st years. Izzy smiled, remembering how terrified she was when she got sorted. The Sorting Hat had fallen down over her forehead almost covering her eyes. It thought for a moment considering her options. You would make a lovely Slytherin, no not quite, Slytherin doesn't seem to be your fancy, Hufflepuff, of course not, Ravenclaw, no no no, Gryffindor? Possibly, I can see the bravery, somewhat loyal, yes yes indeed! Gryffindor indeed! Izzy let out a breath of relief as the Sorting Hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" Izzy had been eager to join the Gryffindors, unlike her sister Phoebe, who had glared at her from the Slytherin table with a disappointed look. Izzy clearly remembered the moment when she had joined her house and stared longingly across the room at Phoebe who was engaging in a conversation with a Slytherin boy who's jet black hair was brushed to the side in an arrogant style. It was the first time Izzy had been introduced to Lucas Christopher Riddle, and not the last.

Izzy snapped awake suddenly realising she had been day dreaming.

"What did I miss?" she whispered to Mia who she assumed had been paying keen attention.

"Nothing much," Mia whispered back.

"A Ravenclaw boy was so excited he tripped on his way off the stool!" James said.

"Well, of course that's all you remember," Mia said.

"I remember what's important," James explained twirling a strand of his hair around his finger. James's hair wasn't exactly long, but it was long enough to be called long, long enough to make Gryffindor girls fall at his feet in awe.

"Is there something in my hair?" James asked, realising that Izzy had been gazing longingly at his head. Izzy felt a rush of blood to her head as she began to blush slightly.

"No," she said. "Just a giant spider."

•••

After a long and filling feast McGonagall had cleared her throat again and returned to the podium.

"I have an announcement, but first, 1st through 3rd years you may return to your dormitories, 4th through 7th years stay seated." The younger years filled out as Izzy perked up. This couldn't be a usual announcement, stay out of the forest, don't touch the trophy case, Izzy had heard it all before. Not that she particularly listened to those announcements, but announcements for the older years were usually worth something. Mcgonagall seemed a little reluctant giving the announcement, but once the younger students had cleared out McGonagall tapped on her glass to get everyone's attention again.

"As you very well know, on rare special occasions Hogwarts holds the tradition of a Ball. The Ball I am speaking of is the Christmas Ball we are hosting this year. The Ball is strictly for 4th years and up, so try not to mention it, we have had some previous incidents in the past of ageing spells and what not. The Ball is not for a few months, but I thought it right to give you a fair warning ahead of time, to get prepared. The Christmas Ball, if you are not aware, is a formal dance," McGonagall said. A wave of excited chatter and squeals swept through the crowd. Izzy groaned, dancing, wasn't exactly her forte.

"You are dismissed," McGonagall said. Izzy got up from the table, she had never exactly been to a real dance. The dances at her muggle school in 5th grade consisted of swarms of sweaty teenagers bouncing around for hours waiting for one another to awkwardly ask each other out. Mia looked fairly pleased.

"A Ball!" Mia exclaimed. "Aren't you excited, I mean what am I going to wear! I didn't bring anything fit for a Ball!" A look of wild excitement suddenly crossed Mia's face.

"Shopping," she sighed longingly. Izzy nodded.

"Yeah, I'm real excited, in fact I'm practically jumping out of my seat Mia!" Izzy said with sarcasm.

"Who'd think you'll go with?" Mia inquired. Izzy shrugged.

"I don't care, whoever asks," Izzy said. James had only been half listening to the conversation.

"What if I asked?" James said.

"You? Ask me? Don't you have loads of other Gryffindor girls to ask out, Mr. Popular?" Izzy laughed.

"No, I'm serious, what would you say?" James said. The farmiliar feeling of embarrasment rose to Izzy's cheeks leaving them two shades darker than they should be. Izzy repeated to words over and over in her head, what would you say, what would you say. It was just a friendly thing, friends, completely friends, absolutely nothing more.

"You okay, Iz?" James asked peering concerned at Izzy's beat red face.

"Yeah, I would yes," Izzy decided firmly. She hadn't exactly thought it through, but it sounded right. James stood up on the bench and held out his hand to her.

"Isabelle Lupin will you go to the Christmas Ball with me?" James said, much louder than he needed to making sure to be insanely dramatic. Izzy laughed and played along. She got up from her seat and curtsied taking his hand.

"I shall, James Potter, attend the Christmas Ball with you!" Nothing, but friends, Izzy repeated in her head. Nothing, but friends.

"If only getting a date was that easy!" Mia sighed. Albus Potter, a shy 4th year tapped Mia on the shoulder.

"Uh, Mia, I've got something to ask you," he said quietly. Albus and James looked so much alike, yet had barely anything in common. Albus had always been the shy, quiet one.

"Later Albus," Mia said and turned back to Izzy.

"No, Mia, it's really kind of important," he said. Izzy sat down suddenly realising what Albus was trying to do.

"I said later Albus!" Mia insisted. Albus nodded.

"Okay, later," he said and returned to his seat.

•••

Izzy and Mia made their way to the Gryffindor Common Room after the feast. Izzy smiled at the warm and welcome feeling the Common Room gave. It had always been her favourite place in the castle. A circular room filled with red tapestries and Gryffindor banners. Izzy checked the notice board where announcements were regularly posted. Nothing new except a flyer for Quittich tryouts. Izzy grinned suddenly remembering the Quittich team. Izzy had been a chaser on the team since her second year when she was finally allowed a broom, a Cleansweep 70.

"Quittich?" Mia asked, peering over Izzy's shoulder. Izzy nodded and signed her name in short jagged letters under the Chaser section. Mia signed up for beater, Izzy never would've expected Mia to make a good beater, but besides her thin build Mia had a killer arm that could smash a bludger out of the Quittich pitch with no effort. Then again, there was nothing, it seemed that Mia couldn't do.

Izzy's eyes narrowed as she read the rest of the Chaser tryouts list. There wasn't much competition, except for the last name on the list. In perfect handwriting was a name Izzy gagged at the mere mention of it. A name so, so evil and vial that Izzy was surprised it didn't burn a hole in the paper. Rose Weasley.

"Ooh! Yay, Rosie is trying out!" Mia said.

"Yay? Are you kidding me? This is not a good thing Mia! We might have to be on the same team! And worse, the same position!" Izzy said. She was seriously considering scratching Rose's name out and leaving a little note that said 'oops, didn't mean to sign up!'. Mia read Izzy's mind.

"No, you are not scratching her name out, just because you hate Rose Weasley doesn't mean the rest of the world does!" Mia said.

"Of course!" Izzy said. "The rest of the world loves Rose Weasley, perfect little, stuck up, redhead." Suddenly a curios face peered over Mia's shoulder.

"Did I hear my name?" Rose inquired. Izzy felt the vomit surface to her throat as she turned to see Rose Weasley, a 4th year. The glossy red hair, the perfect speckled complexion, the crisp blue eyes, nobody could beat Rose Weasley, nobody.

"Rosie!" Mia exclaimed and immediately turned around to hug her. "I didn't see you all summer! Where were you?" Rose flipped her hair off her shoulder dramatically.

"Oh, we had to visit Uncle Charlie in Romania! It took forever! Seriously, I was doubting if we'd make it back in time for school!" Rose said.

"Wouldn't that be a pity?" Izzy muttered.

"What was that Isabelle?" Rose said.

"Nothing," Izzy grimaced.

"Nice to see you," Rose lied. She was so good at putting on her goody-two-shoes-I-would-never-hurt-a-fly act, it almost fooled Izzy sometimes. Rose and Izzy had been enemies ever since their first year. Izzy was still unsure what really started it, but she hated Rose Weasley more than she hated booger flavoured beans, and that's saying something.

"You too," Izzy said.

"Let's get unpacked," Mia said and grabbed her bag. The two hurried off to their dormitory in a giggly rush to fill each other in on the latest gossip. Boy talk. Izzy had never found that sort of thing interesting. And she had actually never been especially good at it. She couldn't keep a secret to save her life. Not that she would tell, she would most likely forget.

The Duke of Honey rubbed up against Izzy's leg purring loudly. Izzy had been very inventive in naming her cat after her favourite candy shoppe. She scooped him up and ran her fingers through his brown and grey fur. Duke had a small yellow spot of fur where Izzy had tried out a colour spell. It didn't exactly end well.

"Just you and me buddy," Izzy whispered as she levitated her trunk to her dormitory.

•••

Izzy fastened her leather shin guards onto her Quittich robes quickly and grabbed her Cleansweep 70. She was late, as usual, to Quittich tryouts. Izzy ran halfway across the pitch trying to hold her broom and fasten her hair up all at once, then jumped on her broom and flew the rest of the way. Izzy touched down near the edge of the huddled up Quittich players.

"Nice of you to join us Izzy," James smirked. Izzy guiltily smiled and poked her head into the group.

"Chasers, over there, beaters, to the right, keepers, by the posts, and seeker is me, so if you're thinking about trying for seeker, sorry. First years, go, it's the rules," James said quickly. He was probably the youngest Quittich captain ever at Hogwarts, only 15. A few first years shuffled out looking ashamed. James suddenly looked surprised as he noticed his little sister in the crowd.

"Lily, what are you doing? You don't even play Quittich. Is that my old broomstick?" Lily tried to protest, but James shooed her away.

James sighed in disbelief as he made some scratches on his clipboard of notes.

"Let's go!" James yelled as the brooms lifted into the air. Izzy stayed behind and peeked at James's clipboard.

"Izzy, thought you wouldn't come! You wouldn't mind directing the chasers? Just a few easy drills, tell me who's the best later," James said.

"How do I tryout then?" Izzy asked.

"You're already on the team," James laughed. "Come on Izzy, you're one of the best people here." James nodded to a miserable looking 2nd year who was trying to mount his broom backwards.

"You're not just saying that, because of you know," Izzy's voice trailed off. "The Ball?"

"Course not, just go fly!" James said as he kicked of the ground to observe the keepers. Izzy glided over to the group of chasers.

"What was that all about, Isabelle?" Rose giggled. She sounded innocent as usual, but with a hint of demand in her voice.

"Nothing, James just said he wants me to lead some drills, and it's Izzy," Izzy said and narrowed her eyes at Rose who's smile stretched up a bit.

"Come on!" Rose said impatiently as she kicked of the ground. Izzy grabbed the nearest quaffle and followed.

"Chasers," Izzy shouted to the kids still on the ground. "Follow me and Rose." They kicked of the ground with the rest of the practice quaffles.

"Stanley pass off drill," Izzy shouted to Rose as she threw the quaffle sideways to Rose's hands. Rose caught it easily as Izzy sped forward. She threw it back to Izzy with a quick snap of her wrist sending it slightly too far forward. Izzy dove down a few feet and grabbed the quaffle. The post was only a few feet away, a shot she could easily make. She was supposed to pass it. She had to pass it. Rose had her hands up ready to catch. Somehow she found that she just couldn't pass it, not to Rose Weasley. Izzy turned back to the post and spun the ball through the shortest post. Izzy and Rose touched down by the end of the post where the quaffle had landed.

"Why didn't you pass, Isabelle?" Rose sneered.

"I had the shot," Izzy defended, trying to think of a better excuse than 'I was too selfish to give up the shot to a brat like you.' Rose picked up the quaffle.

"And James trusted you?" she said as if Izzy was the most unworthy person to be trusted. Izzy crossed her arms and didn't respond.

"Oh, I see it now!" Rose said as a smirk spread across her face. "You two are in lo-"

Rose never finished her sentence.

•••

Izzy calmly made her way up to the castle from the Quittich pitch. After the mass chaos, tryouts were finally called off. Izzy was exceedingly pleased with herself, it wasn't everyday you could give Rose Weasley a black eye and get away with it. Izzy couldn't stop thinking about the glorious moment of triumph Izzy had when Rose had realised that she had a black eye.

Izzy skipped up a flight of stairs and was suddenly blocked by someone hurrying to the Quittich pitch. Izzy tripped on the last step and slammed onto the tiles taking whoever she had hit with her. Izzy's hand shot to her throbbing head.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" she said as she lay on the ground. She turned her head slightly to see the boy next to her. Pitch black hair and stormy grey eyes.

"Not sorry," she corrected herself. Luke moaned and rubbed his elbow.

"Bloody hell, Izzy, look where you're going!"

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was talking to royalty, honestly I should have bowed before you, forgive me, your royal prat-ness." The two got up and brushed themselves off.

"Aww, did you get a speck of dust on your robes?" Izzy said.

"As a matter of fact I did," Luke sneered.

"Did what?" a voice came from behind Izzy's shoulder. Izzy spun around to see James Potter.

"Well, what do you know, a reunion of the two greatest Gryffindor toerags there are!"Luke greeted. James only responded by forcing a fake smile.

"Can't imagine what you'd be up to, slithering of to the Quittich pitch," James said.

"It seems that only James Potter can get away with saying slithering to a Slytherin," Luke laughed.

"How's the Slytherin Quittich team?" James said, trying to draw out the conversation. Izzy felt James slip a small cylinder into her hand. Izzy grinned as she fingered the exploding firecracker. James always seemed to know how to cheer up her day.

"Better than Gryffindor, how's captaining?" Luke said. James began to give Izzy the signal to release it by slowing his words.

"Oh, its grand, As easy as 1, 2, 3!" Izzy slammed her firecracker on the ground in unison with James. Luke yelped and jumped back as the firecrackers exploded in a burst of orange sparks crackling up at Luke's robes. Luke jumped backwards as he tried to stamp the flames out.

"Damn you Potter!" he yelled.

Izzy turned and sprinted down the corridor behind James laughing at a job well done. She could just barely make out the sound of Luke screaming "You'll pay for this!" She knew she would pay for it, probably with one of Luke's lousy attempts to prank her back, but a wild grin spread across Izzy's face. The truth was, she couldn't wait to pay.


	3. I'm Yours

**Chapter 3 by the talented ellw0721, Enjoy! -EmuFrost**

Chapter Three-I'm Yours

_"Before the cool dawn run out, I'll be giving it my bestest, and nothing's gonna stop me but divine intervention. I reckon, it's again my turn to win some or learn some. But I won't hesitate no more, no more. It cannot wait, I'm yours."_

The late summer breeze rippled through the trees in the courtyard, making Anabel shiver. She pulled her black robe tighter around her slim shoulders, using her other hand to support her books.

Anabel looked at the small watch on her wrist. _9:07. _She was seven minutes late for potions class. Not again. It had been so hard to get around Hogwarts since she didn't remember anything.

The only things she remembered were her first name and her house, Gryffindor. Not even her last name. She was so pathetic.

"Are you bloody kidding me?!" Anabel shouted weakly at the sky. No one would look at her in the hallways. Was she a really bad person before she woke up? She couldn't remember. It was like she had some sort of disease that no one wanted to catch.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be in class?"

Anabel turned sharply around to see a fifth year across the courtyard. He stood under a twisted willow. Anabel hadn't noticed him before.

"Uh, yeah. I don't remember where my class is, and I'm already…" Anabel looked at the watch again. "…nine minutes late."

The boy smirked a perfect, dorky smile. "What class?"

"Potions." Anabel mumbled. Of all classes, the one she despised. She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I hate potions too."

"What class are you supposed to be in now?"

"Potions." the boy shrugged. He was now only a few feet away now, and Anabel realized how cute he was. He had gold-blond hair, that fell in curly, straggly wisps across his prominent forehead. His chocolate, brown eyes shone in the midmorning sunlight, dancing with curiosity and mischief.

Anabel laughed. "What if you get caught?"

"I make up a lame excuse about going to the bathroom, or getting lost on my way to class. Would you like me to show you to your class? I might as well go, now that I know your going to be there." He smiled, stupidly bowed and held out his hand like an escort.

Anabel's heart leaped. "Sure. I'm Anabel."

He smiled. "Lysander. Lysander Scamander."

"Alright, Sander." Anabel looped her arm through Lysander's. "Show me the way."

"Your wish is my command, Ana."

Lysander grinned and led Ana to their next class.

Ana scribbled down the last of her notes, swung her bag over her shoulder and left Transfiguration class. She was in such a hurry because she promised to meet Lysander in the courtyard.

It had been a week since she had met Lysander in the courtyard. Ever since then he had met her in random places around the school, and each time they had talked about something different. Today, he said it was urgent that he speak with her, and that she meet him under the willow tree in the courtyard.

Lysander was comfortably stretched out under the same willow tree where Ana first saw him. Surrounding him were two girls with red hair. They looked the same age. He grinned. "Hey."

Ana couldn't help but smile back. "Hi."

"I hope you don't mind, but these are my friends." he pointed to one of the girls. She was more athletic with sharper facial features. "This is Isabel, but everybody calls her Izzy." he pointed to the other girl who had a rounder face and curlier red hair. "That's Phoebe."

Ana had to admit she felt a little jealous when she first saw them, but they seemed cooler, and they didn't run away when they saw her so she gave them a chance. "Hi, nice to meet you."

Two other teenagers walked up to the tree. One was a boy with dark, curly hair and grey eyes, and the other, who was holding his hand, was a girl with wavy, dark hair, prominent cheek bones, and was stunningly pretty.

The boy smiled. "So this is the famous _Ana _we've been hearing about? I'm Luke by the way." he stuck out his hand, but he seemed too mysterious for Ana to put judgement on him yet. Ana could see why he was a slytherin. She finally took his hand. "And this is Mia."

Ana smiled, but bit her lip. She must've known Lysander had friends. Ana had never been good at making friends, she knew that much.

"Ana." Lysander said interrupting her thoughts. "These are my friends. I wanted you to meet them." he grinned in that cute, cocky way. Ana couldn't help but love him.

"They're awesome." Ana finally agreed. At least they didn't cringe when she spoke, or turn away when she looked at them. Ana liked them already.

"Where did you two meet?" Izzy asked.

Lysander looked at Ana, and she shrugged. "Long explanation."

"Reasonable enough." Luke said. He broke away from Mia. "James!"

A boy with messy, black hair, green eyes, and an athletic built ran up to the group, clutching spell books in his arms. He went and stood by Izzy, and they both smiled at each other. There was obviously drama between them.

Lysander suddenly stopped smiling. "Ana, is this too much? I mean, meeting a lot of people. I-I really like you, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." He blushed and awkwardly shuffled his feet.

Ana grinned delightedly. He just said he liked her. He _liked _her. He liked _her. _"Are you kidding me? This is the best day of my life!" She hugged Lysander, but then pulled away and turned red.

"Drama." Phoebe said rolling her eyes. "It's so…dramatic."

Everybody laughed. That is, everybody laughed but Mia.

"Why do you care? It's not like you are dramatic, or full of drama at all." Mia said.

"Why are you making a big deal of drama anyway. You weren't part of it until you started dating Luke." Phoebe cringed.

"Why do you care about Luke and I anyway? Unless, you still like him." Mia fired back.

"Shut up!" Luke screamed. "You're causing a scene, do you want to attract more attention to us?"

Mia looked so offended, she scoffed. "I have to go." Mia turned and headed towards the dining hall.

"Mia, wait!" Luke called. He ran after her.

"I should go too." Phoebe looked longingly at Luke, turned and headed in the opposite direction.

"That headed down hill pretty quickly." James said. He looked over and Izzy and nodded. "We have to go to Quidditch practice."

"Yeah, sorry guys. It was nice meeting you, Ana." Izzy slipped her hand in James' and they headed towards the Quidditch field.

"Sorry about them. They're a little, cooky. But, you know, they are my friends." Lysander said.

"It's fine. They're really cool. Thank you for introducing us." Ana smiled, trying to make Lysander feel better.

Lysander curled his fingers around Ana's and looked her into brown eyes. The close Lysander leaned in, the more he noticed her eyes were brown-green, flecked with gold. "Thank you for trying to cheer me up. I appreciate you coming here today. And then, he leaned over and kissed her. His soft lips brushed her cheek and he pulled away as soon as he had leaned in. "I'm sorry, was that too forward?" He scratched the back of his neck nervously, but that just made Ana smile more.

"No, it was…wonderful." Ana said.

Lysander grinned. "Good."

He stood up and reached his hand down. "Want me to walk you to your next class?" his chocolate eyes danced.

"I would be honored to be escorted by _the _Lysander Scamander." Ana talked in a fake, prissy accent. She took his hand and they interlocked fingers.

"Shall we?" Lysander asked.

Ana grinned. "We shall."

And together, they walked to potions class.


End file.
